AFF 2010 Review: New Low
Does hanging out with "good" people make you a good person? New Low attempts to address this question. Twenty-something Wendell (played by writer/director/editor Adam Bowers) is a slacker video-store employee living in Gainesville. In his free time, he helps write stand-up material for his pal Dave (Toby Turner). He has no desire to venture into the world of stand-up himself, though. This says a lot about his character: he's lackadaisical with no forward momentum.
He meets dumpster-diving bartender Vicky (Jayme Ratzer), who on their first date points out three of Wendell's physical faults (and sleeps with him anyway). Vicky is happy to troll dumpsters for food or mooch off of free food offered at gallery openings. She appears to be stuck in a rut, but at least (we discover as the movie progresses) she does have goals as far as her art is concerned.
Joanna (Valerie Jones) -- the other woman -- is an activist/feminist who happens to be an artist as well. While Vicky is the type of gal who tosses her empty cigarette packets on the ground, Joanna is the type who picks up other people's litter, telling Wendell, "I don't understand why people insist on living in such a shitty world." She drags Wendell along to parties where he never really fits in and gifts him with a book on environmental/social action.
Wendell is torn between these two ladies, and this is the main premise of New Low. Bowers plays the main character as somewhat unaffected. He takes what angsty Vicky throws at him, but displays some eagerness where Joanna is concerned. But can time with Joanna improve him? Or rather, can he improve himself enough to keep Joanna around?
New Low wants to be funnier than it really is. There are a few enjoyable spots, but there are also many awkward, uncomfortable moments. This (and the natural lighting) gives the film more of a cinema verite feel than your typical indie romantic comedy, so that's not totally a bad thing.
New Low screens again on Tuesday, Oct. 26 at 7:30 pm as part of the Austin Film Festival.